It is well known to utilize a conveyor system for transporting materials such as wet chips generated in the course of a machining operation. The wet chips often are placed on a conveyor at a machine tool station where the wet chips are generated. The conveyor then generally conveys the wet chips to a centrifugal separator station such as illustrated in Nemedi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,487 where the wet chips are separated into dry chips and fluids.
Different conveyor apparatus are employed to transport the wet chips. One system includes the use of a metal or plastic conveyor belt that has a plurality of roller assemblies attached to the sides of the belt. The roller assemblies serve as carriages adapted to ride in tracks located on the opposite sides of the conveyor apparatus. This type conveyor apparatus has been found to be relatively costly and generally includes a substantial number of components, all of which are subject to maintenance problems. Moreover, when this conveyor apparatus is employed to convey wet chips, it has been found that fluid in the wet chips escapes from the system as it travels to the sides of the conveyor and out of the conveyor apparatus. Further, it has been found that wet chips on the conveyor sometimes come in contact with various conveyor components and cause them to malfunction. The conveyor system then has to be removed from service and the malfunction corrected.
Accordingly, it is desired to have a conveyor system for transporting materials such as wet chips wherein the conveyor apparatus has a reduced number of parts when compared to the roller system conveyor apparatus presently available. It is further desired to have a conveyor apparatus where the undesired escape of wet chip fluid into various conveyor components is obviated. Further, it is desired to reduce or limit contact between conveyed wet chips and the various components of the conveyor apparatus transporting the wet chips.